Three added to District Court bench

The new judges will be sworn in next month

Three added to District Court bench

Three new judges have joined the District Court bench in place of judges who recently retired.

According to Attorney-General Judith Collins, the new judges will be sworn in next month.

Auckland’s Peter James Davey will have jury jurisdiction in Whangārei. He began his career as a law clerk and solicitor at Bell Gully before transitioning to a role as Crown prosecutor in Rotorua. He then made partner at Lowndes Jordan in Auckland before becoming a barrister sole in 2004.

He will be sworn in on 18 June.

Palmerston North’s Paul Laurence Murray will have jury jurisdiction on the North Shore. He kicked off his legal career practising with the litigation team at Russell McVeagh before relocating to Palmerston North in 2004 to join Ben Vanderkolk and Associates, where he was an associate, partner and Crown prosecutor.

Murray will be sworn in on 17 June.

Auckland’s Kirsty Elizabeth Swadling has family jurisdiction in Waitākere. She started as a staff solicitor at Sellar Bone and Partners, where she became a partner in 1992 before joining the independent bar in 2004.

Swadling will be sworn in on 12 June.